The present invention relates to an airbag device installed in a vehicle and, more particularly, to an airbag device suitably used as a passenger airbag device for protecting a front seat passenger in a vehicle.
In a passenger airbag device, an airbag is typically accommodated within a canister-like retainer with the retainer covered by a lid. The passenger airbag device is mounted to an instrument panel of a vehicle. In the event of a vehicle collision, an inflator emits gas into the airbag, thereby inflating the airbag. The lid opens toward the inside of a vehicle cabin due to the pressing force of the airbag thereby allowing the airbag to be inflated inside the vehicle cabin.
An existing airbag device provides the lid to be connected to the retainer by belts so that the lid can freely shift in directions out of and into the instrument panel (hereafter these directions will be referred to as xe2x80x9cupward and downward directionsxe2x80x9d).
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the aforementioned conventional passenger airbag device in which an airbag 21 is arranged in the inside of a retainer 20 and an inflator 22 is disposed beneath the airbag 21. The top opening of the retainer 20 is covered by a lid 23. Arranged on both sides of the retainer 20 are hook fittings 24 of which hook portions 24a are inserted in holes 26 formed in legs 25 of the lid 23. The hook fittings 24 are connected to the retainer 20 by belts 30. The belts 30 are fixed to the bottom of the retainer 20 by rivets 31. The lid 23 includes engaging pieces 27 formed on the outside of the legs 25. The periphery of a mounting opening 29 for an airbag device of the instrument panel 28 is engaged with the engaging pieces 27, whereby the lid 23 is fixed to an instrument panel 28.
In the conventional example shown in FIG. 8, the belts 30 are fixed to the retainer 20 by the rivets 31. As a result, the reaction force from the belts 30 may be applied to the lid 23 fitted to the instrument panel 28. Therefore, stress may be constantly applied to the peripheral edge of the opening 29 of the instrument panel 28 and the periphery of the lid 23. Due to the pressing force of the belts 30, the lid 23 is pushed upward because of a clearance between the engaging pieces 27 and the opening 29 of the instrument panel 28. As a result, the lid 23 may undesirably lift slightly from the instrument panel 28.
In the airbag device shown in FIG. 8, during installation of the airbag device to the instrument panel, the movable range of the lid 23 is limited. This may create difficulty during installation if there are any misalignments between the fixed retainer and the opening in the instrument panel.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the aforementioned problems and to provide an airbag device in which a lid is substantially not connected to a retainer. It is another object of the present invention to prevent the lid from lifting from the instrument panel.
An airbag device according to the present invention includes a canister-like retainer having an opening. The device includes an airbag which is accommodated in the retainer and which has a gas inlet attached to the retainer. A lid covers the opening of the retainer and a fitting member fits the lid to an opening of an instrument panel. The device includes a pair of winding members connecting the retainer to the lid. Both ends of each winding member, which is arranged to extend along the outer surface of the retainer, are connected to the lid. The winding member is elastic and at least a portion of the winding member is in elastic contact with the outer surface of the retainer thereby biasing the lid toward the retainer.
According to another embodiment of the present invention an airbag device including a canister-like retainer having an opening is provided. The device further includes an airbag which is accommodated in the retainer and of which gas inlet is attached to the retainer. An inflator for inflating the airbag is also provided. The device includes a lid for covering the opening of the retainer and a fitting member for fitting the lid to an opening of an instrument panel. Both ends of the inflator outwardly project from the retainer. The device includes a pair of winding members connecting the retainer to the lid. Both ends of each winding member, which is arranged to extend along the outer surface of the inflator, are connected to the lid. The winding member is elastic and at least a portion of the winding member is in elastic contact with the outer surface of the inflator thereby biasing the lid toward the retainer.
In the airbag device having the structure mentioned above, the lid is pulled toward the retainer by the winding members, thereby preventing the lid from lifting from the instrument panel. Since the winding members are in elastic contact with the retainer or the inflator, the winding members never hit nor rub the retainer, thus preventing noise generation.
According to the present invention, the winding member may be directly connected to the lid or may be connected to the lid through attachments. In the latter case, it is preferable that the lid has legs projecting from the rear surface thereof to extend along the outer surface of the retainer. Attachments may be attached to the legs and the winding members connected to the attachments. This structure allows tensile biasing force of the winding members to be transmitted to a wider area of the lid.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention an airbag device to be installed in the instrument panel of a vehicle is provided. The device includes an airbag module having an airbag with an open end fixed to a retainer for receiving pressurized gas from an inflator positioned within the retainer. The device further includes a lid covering the airbag and positioned in an opening in the instrument panel. An elastic belt is connected to the lid and contacts the module on a surface facing generally away from the instrument panel to thereby hold the lid in position. The belt is positioned in a manner permitting relative movement between the module and the belt.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an airbag device mounted in an instrument panel of a vehicle is provided. The device includes an airbag connected to a retainer and a lid covering the airbag and retainer. The lid is held in position in an opening in the panel by an elastic member fixed only to the lid and passing on an opposite side of the retainer from the panel to thereby press an edge of the lid against the panel.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.